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Kevin Smith thought he hit the jackpot with Seann William Scott for his long-planned hockey movie "Hit Somebody." It was only later that he found out his new leading man might be the only guy from Minnesota who didn't play hockey growing up.

"The more I hung out with Sean, I learned, 'Oh my God, you're my hockey player,' " Smith tells PopcornBiz, recalling his moment of casting inspiration. "This is the movie I have been trying to make for two years now. I was thinking I was so smart and he's from Minnesota, and he has the sweetness to him. And he's very athletic."

"It all snapped into place," he adds. "Seann is the guy."

It was only afterward that Smith asked what he thought was a really obvious question to guy from Minnesota. "Seann was so into the idea and I said, 'Alright, you can skate right?' " Smith recalls asking. "When he said no I was like, 'What?!!!' How do you grow up in Minnesota and not play hockey?' "

After hearing Scott's tale of youth woe, being forced to play hockey goalie until he just quit, Smith refused to be defeated. He stuck by his leading man. "I said, 'Well (expletive invoking God's name), start learning how to skate.' "

Scott is taking on the endeavor and Smith hopes to create the same kind of comedic chemistry he believes he created with the actor in "Cop Out" (which arrives on Blu-ray combo pack and DVD on July 20). Only this time the comedy will be on ice. Smith insists that Scott is even bigger than his "American Pie" character he is best known for.